Fickle Fates
by Autumnnight99
Summary: A hopefully different take on the well worn time travel fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

 **Summary:**

 **The Strawhats plus Law are sent back in time. Hopefully a different take on a time travel story in the One Piece fandom.**

 **Warnings:**

 **Angst this chapter. Will put warnings on the chapters they apply to.**

 **Pairings:**

 **LawLu, Probably ZoSan, not sure about the rest.**

 **Tell me if you find this interesting or not so far. I have most of chapter 2 written so it should be out in a few days. I have no beta so all mistakes are mine. If anyone wants to chat, PM me. I could use some friends who have similar interests seeing as my only current friend doesn't watch anime. Oh well.**

 **On to the Story!**

* * *

 _"Yohohoho, yohohoho"_

They were dying.

" _Yohohoho, yohohoho"_

Eleven bodies, bleeding out.

" _Binkusu no sake wo todoke ni yuku yo"_

So weak, no sound could be made.

" _Umikaze kimakase namimakase"_

He watched over them.

" _Shio no mukou de yuuhi mo sawagu"_

Heard the prayers of their hearts.

" _Sora nya wa wo kaku tori no uta"_

The fates sang.

" _Sayonara minato tsumugi no sato yo"_

He listened.

" _Don to icchou utao funade no uta"_

A chance was given.

" _Kinpa-ginpa mo shibuki ni kaete"_

Time held her breath.

" _Oretachya yuku zo umi no kagiri"_

They were gone.

* * *

Luffy awoke to the sound of crashing waves and the feeling of wind running through his hair. His eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet, taking a fighting stance, expecting to be surrounded by enemies. What he saw instead knocked the air out of his lungs.

He was standing beneath a tree near the edge of a very familiar cliff. The sun beating down was warm upon his skin, the smell of the sea washed over him, carried by the wind. Luffy would always recognize Dawn Island, his first home.

"What the hell?!"

He blinked in shock. That had definitely been him speaking but the voice was different, too high pitched. Looking down, he noticed his hands were smaller than usual and that he was wearing a white t-shirt with an anchor on the front. Luffy hadn't worn t-shirts since Ace had left to become a pirate.

Ace. Even after so long, just the thought of his brother pained him. But that was something that could be thought about later. For now, he had to figure out when he was. He figured, since he was obviously back in his younger body, sometime before he turned fourteen, and on Dawn Island, some mystery time travel thing must have happened.

Which meant that he had a chance to do his adventures over again. And, maybe, seeing as the rest of his crew and Torao were with him before he was sent back, they came back too. Even Luffy knew it might not be true, that he could be on his own, but he couldn't quite stamp down the hope that rose within him. Later, he would need to find some way to see if they had come back with him or not. But for now, Luffy was barely holding himself together.

He had nearly died, his crew and lover with him, in some dark cave on a random island in the New World. The Marines had cornered them just a few islands away from Raftel. The bastards had created hell on earth for Luffy. Sunny was destroyed by a rain of magma and cannonballs. Marines swarmed the island and, no matter how hard the pirates fought, they never stopped coming.

Eventually, a cave was found and barricaded thanks to Franky, but it was too late. They had taken too many hits. All ten of them were slowly bleeding out, Chopper without any supplies to help them.

Luffy had sat, side by side with his Torao, watching as his crew slowly faded away before him and knowing there was nothing he could do to help. They were all dying. And, as the light started to dim from his eyes, he and Torao whispered their love for each other one last time before everything went black and he woke up on Dawn.

He couldn't help the tears that rolled down his cheeks, couldn't help falling to his knees and screaming out his pain. Luffy didn't know what he'd do if they hadn't come back with him. His crew and Torao meant everything to him. After Ace, he had shattered, only for Torao and Jinbei and Rayleigh to piece him back together again. His crew and lover had helped him keep his sanity through everything, and now, with just the thought that they might not have come back with him...

No. No! They had to be back, he wouldn't accept anything less. They had followed him through hell and back, time travel was nothing compared to all that they'd been through together.

'Please, whoever's watching, let them have come back with me.'

With that thought echoing through his mind, Luffy curled into a ball and sobbed his heart out.

* * *

That was how Ace found him, hours later.

When Luffy first sensed his brother, he stiffened. He wasn't ready for this. Not for seeing Ace or for the questions that would inevitably be asked of him. But, he was a captain, no matter what time he was in. If he wanted to find his crew, wanted to find Torao, he needed to pull himself together and get moving. So, that's what he did.

Uncurling himself, Luffy turned to look into his brother's worried eyes. Seeing Ace alive and well almost caused him to break down again, but he stayed strong. Knowing what was going to be asked, Luffy gestured for his brother to sit next to him and began his story.

And he told Ace everything.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

 **Sorry for the wait and that this is shorter than usual, my dad just had open heart surgery and everything was crazy for awhile. I had trouble juggling everything going on with the surgery happening. But he's recovering fine now and things have calmed down. Though I'm still trying to keep my brain from wandering and creating new stories when I already have so many I need to finish. Ugh. I do not have a one track mind, it's difficult. If anyone would like to help me plan my stories feel free to PM me.**

 **Anyway, I have no beta so all mistakes are my own.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"...and now, I'm here."

Ace looked at his baby brother, really looked at him. He could see the anguish in Luffy's eyes, the hurt written in his features and his body language practically screaming his pain. He knew Luffy wasn't lying, couldn't lie to save his life, so what he had just told him had to be true. It had to be.

But Ace never wanted to think about his precious brother being hurt so many times, never wanted to see him in such soul wrenching agony. But he knew, without a doubt, that everything Luffy had just told him had happened. Which meant that Ace broke his promise. He had died.

He had died and left Luffy alone.

Even if he had no memory of doing so himself, just the thought that some version of him could have thought that leaving his baby brother behind was a good idea when it so obviously broke him brought pain to his very soul.

And he promised himself, right then and there, that no matter what, he would always be by Luffy's side. Always.

Nothing would tear them apart.

Instead of voicing these thoughts aloud, Ace pulled Luffy closer into his side and asked, "So, what do we do now?"

* * *

Luffy blinked. "We?"

Ace had been quiet for several minutes and Luffy had worried that his brother hadn't believed him. But what had been asked was not something he had thought he would hear.

Ace looked at him like he was stupid. "Yes, we. If you think I'm leaving your side ever again, you're a bigger idiot than I thought. We're in this together, Luffy. You and me. Oh, and Sabo, once we get him his memories back."

Luffy stared and stared and stared. Then he started laughing and just couldn't stop. Ace believed him. Ace believed him! His brother may not have the memories of the other timeline, but he would stick by Luffy.

And really, that's all that mattered.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Ace asked his little brother.

Luffy never stopped walking, keeping his feet heading down the mountain path. "To see Makino. She has something that I-we-need."

It took them another hour to reach Foosha Village and Luffy spent the entire time cursing his lost stamina. If only he was still as strong as he was before he came back, but even then, he still hadn't been strong enough. Oh well, he had training to do, but first, there was someone he needed to talk to.

Walking into Makino's bar, Luffy walked straight up to the barmaid and looked her in the eye.

"Makino," he said. "I need to speak with my father."

Makino startled. She hadn't been expecting that sentence to come out of Luffy's mouth anytime soon. Sighing, she nodded and gestured for the two boys to follow her.

She led them upstairs to a locked room that looked to at one point have been an office. On the old, dust covered desk sat a white Den Den Mushi and a piece of paper with a number written on it. Luffy nodded his thanks to Makino and she left the two boys alone in the room.

Walking up to the desk, Luffy sat down in one of the two old chairs and told Ace to sit in the other one. The two boys exchanged looks and nodded. Luffy picked up the receiver and dialed the number sitting on the desk.

 _Purupurupuru purupurupuru, click_

" _Hello?"_

"Dad? It's me, Luffy."

The snail blinked in shock. _"Luffy? Is everything alright? How did you know to call this number?"_

Sighing, Luffy ran a hand through his hair. "It's a long story, one that I'd rather tell in person. Basically, I need your help, Dad. Ace and I need your help. Please, I don't know who else to turn to. We can't go to Grandpa and there's no one else but you. Please, help us."

" _Calm down, Son. Of course, I'll help. Tell me, are you in any danger now? Do I need to be there immediately?"_

"We're fine for now, but we need to leave before Grandpa gets here in a few months. We'll be staying on Mt. Colubo until you arrive. Oh, and if you could bring Sabo with you, that would help, a lot."

" _Sabo? How do you know Sabo?"_

"He's our brother. We thought him dead until just recently. I know he has amnesia, we can help him with that."

" _I take it that you'll explain how you know he's alive and with me as part of how you know how to contact me?"_

"Yes. And please, hurry. Like I said, we need to be long gone before Grandpa gets here."

" _Don't worry, my son. I'll be there soon."_

"Thank you. See you soon, Dad."

" _Yes, see you soon."_

Hanging up the receiver, Luffy turned to Ace. "Well, let's get back and start training, shall we?"

* * *

A week later, Luffy called a stop to their training session as he felt the Voices of his Father and Sabo approaching the Island. He and Ace returned to their treehouse and gathered their bags which they had packed days ago and stood outside their home, waiting.

When Dragon and Sabo approached, the two boys noticed Sabo's eyes widening when he saw the treehouse. After his eyes slid from the treehouse to the boys standing under it, he took a step forward and fainted, Dragon catching him before he hit the ground.

Luffy face palmed. "Oh dear."

Dragon eyed his son and his old friend's son as he picked Sabo up and held him in his arms. He couldn't help but think there was something very different about Luffy. "You two ready to go?"

"Yes," they chorused.

Nodding, Dragon turned to head back to his ship, Ace and Luffy following behind.

* * *

Luffy was sitting by Sabo's bedside, waiting for his blonde brother to awaken. They had left Dawn Island hours ago and Sabo was still unconscious. Ace was sitting with Dragon, having hesitantly asked the man if he could tell him stories about his father, The Pirate King.

Dragon had just finished another story of the adventures his old friend would get up to and was about to begin another when he was interrupted by a loud groan. Three heads turned to face the blonde as he awoke.

Luffy waited until dark eyes met his and Sabo choked out a strangled "Luffy?", then launched himself at his blonde brother, Ace joining the hug seconds later.

Sabo started babbling apologies while hugging his brothers as close as he could, tears streaming down his face. Eventually, Ace spoke up. "Don't worry, we both missed a lot."

Sabo looked Ace in the eye. "What are you talking about?"

Ace turned to Luffy. "Tell 'em."

Luffy nodded and climbed in between his brothers so he could hold them close while he told his story for the second time.

* * *

To say Dragon was shocked would be an understatement. His son had just told him he was from the future and the things he said he went through, well, Luffy knew so much about things that barely anyone knew, there was no way his son was lying. No, his son had definitely come from the future and the only thing holding the boy-man-together was his brothers and the hope that maybe his crew and lover had returned with him.

And Dragon hoped they had returned with his son. He had never wanted to see his precious child so very broken and to experience it and know that his son's sanity was hanging by a fragile thread pained him so very much. He had promised to help, and he would be damned if anything got in his way, so, there was only one thing to do. He stood and walked out to the helm of his ship, changing the course to head east.

Next destination, Shimotsuki Village.

* * *

Zoro was training in the woods when he felt four very distinctive, very familiar Voices approaching the island. Blinking in shock, he shook himself and, after grabbing Wado Ichimonji, ran to the village docks.  
He stood at the end of a dock, watching the boat that held his captain come steadily closer. Ever since Zoro had awoken in his younger body, he had hoped that he wasn't the only one to come back. And now, just minutes away, was the proof that at least one of his crew came back with him. He hadn't planned to leave the island before training for several years, but it seemed that plan would be changing if he knew his captain.

Whatever Luffy had planned didn't matter. Zoro was his first mate, he would follow his captain to the ends of the earth.

* * *

Luffy started vibrating with excitement when he felt Zoro rushing towards the docks. This Zoro had to be his Zoro. Nothing else would make sense.

His family watched, happy for Luffy, as he visibly brightened when they approached the island. Dragon, the only one of the three who had awakened his Kenbunshoku Haki enough that he could sense those on the island, noticed the Voice that seemed to be calling for his son and sighed in relief.

The others had come back with Luffy.

* * *

Luffy rushed off the ship and launched himself at his first mate who caught him with the ease of repeated practice.

"Captain," Zoro's gruff voice sounded beside his ear.

"Zoro!" He clung to his first mate as hard as he could. "I'm not alone, you're here!"

Zoro's arms tightened around the raven. "Of course, you're not alone, Captain. We've followed you to hell and back. What's a little time travel compared to that?"

* * *

Sitting in a circle in Zoro's training clearing, Luffy looked around at his family and smiled. He had his first mate, his brothers, and his father with him, now it was time to plan.

"So," he started. "We have five years until it's time to set out to sea. We need to be ready for anything that's coming our way, which means training. That includes you, Dad. You... you were killed last time by those damn marines, we all were. We have to be strong enough to take on the world if need be."

Zoro looked Luffy in the eye. "You have a plan for when we set out, don't you?"

He nodded. "Yes. We died because we weren't strong enough but also because there weren't enough of us. We should recruit some of the people we met on our adventures, the ones we know can be trusted, and train them. We won't, of course, be too big of a crew, or at least our core crew won't be anyway.

I want to start the Strawhat Grand Fleet early on in our adventure. We could train them, and make sure they can handle the shit that'll be thrown at us. I know it might be a risk, but they would be a huge advantage to have. What do you think?"

Zoro grinned. "I like it."

Ace and Sabo nodded in agreement.

Dragon hummed. "Luffy, would you be willing to let me train you four?"

Luffy blinked. "You want to train us?"

"Yes," Dragon said. "You're my son and your family is my family. Now, I have a proposal for you. And don't worry, even if you say no, I'll still train you.

Would you and your crew be willing to create a formal alliance with my Revolutionary Army? I would still support you on your journey even if you don't want to, but this way I wouldn't have to do so in secret."

Luffy tilted his head and looked to Zoro.

Zoro shrugged, telling Luffy it was his decision to make.

After thinking for a while, Luffy came to a decision. "Ok, Consider the Strawhat Pirates officially an ally of the Revolutionary Army."

Dragon grinned. "And the Revolutionary Army shall stand behind the Strawhat Pirates no what may come their way."

* * *

It was early in the morning, the sun had yet to rise, and Zoro was sitting by the railing of the ship, unable to sleep. Thoughts of his Nakama and his last moments with them in the other timeline haunting him.

Zoro had failed.

He had failed to protect those important to him when they needed him most. His Nakama had died and it didn't matter that they were alive now, that they had probably already forgiven him, because he couldn't forgive himself.

He was shocked out of his thoughts when a hand he recognized as belonging to Luffy landed on his shoulder. Looking up into big, dark eyes, Zoro felt his composure cracking.

"They trusted me. They trusted me, and I failed them," he whispered.

Luffy sat beside Zoro and nodded. "Yes, we both did. But we're here now and that's all that matters. We have a chance to fix our failures, a chance to change things."

Zoro looked at Luffy, seeing the pain in his eyes. "What do we do now, captain?"

Luffy sighed. "Now? We train. We train and train and train until nothing can stop us. Until we're sore and beaten down and nearly broken. Then we'll rest until we can do it all over again.

Because you know what? We know now what it's truly like to be broken down and beaten. We know what it's like to have lost so badly we have nothing left. And somehow, we came back from that. We're still alive and kicking.

So, yes, Zoro, we did fail them. But it doesn't matter anymore. Forgive yourself. We were weak, but that's going to change. We won't lose this time. We won't."

And, looking out over the sea as the sun rose on the horizon, Zoro decided that he agreed with his captain.

They wouldn't fail this time.

* * *

The training with Dragon was the most brutal they had ever put their bodies through, even the training with Rayleigh and Mihawk didn't compare. From sun up to midnight, each and every day, they only stopped to rest twice. Luffy and Zoro put everything they had into their training from day one, motivating the other three to do the same. Dragon had masters of many varied fighting styles in his Army and he had them teach the boys everything they knew.

Two weeks after arriving at the base in Baltigo, Ace was gifted with the Mera Mera no mi. Dragon had sent out men to retrieve the devil fruit from the first day he returned to the base with the boys in tow. Ace made sure to never became complacent, to always work to better himself and his skills.

Sabo was gifted with a bo staff made of seastone to replace his lead pipe and was fast on his way to becoming a master of Fishman Karate. He made sure to study as well, knowing that his brothers and Zoro didn't particularly care for it and that there were something's you needed to know to sail the high seas.

They had stopped in Loguetown on their way to the base and retrieved Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri for Zoro, who was glad to have them back. Knowing how to train his three-sword style from his time with Mihawk, Zoro absorbed the lessons Dragon taught on Haki and Rokushiki.

Luffy worked to improve his gears and to master Haki. He found that his training with Rayleigh had barely scratched the surface of what he could do. He and Ace both unlocked their Haoshoku Haki and worked to control it at a level few had ever achieved.

Dragon worked to improve his skills all around while also training the boys. He grew closer with all four of them and couldn't wait to meet the rest of Luffy's crew and Trafalgar Law. From what he had heard of them from Luffy and Zoro, he figured he would enjoy watching the chaos they would cause.

* * *

"Boys," Dragon called. "It's time to head to the docks to greet our guests."

Ace blinked. "They're here already? That was fast."

Luffy looked over from where he was helping Sabo up off the floor. "Mustache Oji-san and Pineapple Head are here? Yatta! What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Ace shook his head, amused at his little brother's antics and followed after as he ran out the door of the training hall. By the time he and the others reached the docks, Luffy was practically vibrating with excitement, watching as a small ship approached the base. Ace knew his brother was excited to see some of those he considered to be allies and Nakama from his past life. Even Zoro was grinning in anticipation, happy to see some of the Whitebeard Pirates and hoping to get in a spar with one of them.

When the ship finally docked, and three figures stepped off, Ace's breath caught in his throat. The blonde of the three newcomers, who he knew to be Marco the Phoenix, had a Voice that was peaceful but lonely. It was as if Marco was at ease with his place in the world but still wishing for something to make his life complete.

And Ace was suddenly filled with a longing to be that missing piece in Marco's life. He didn't know where it had come from, but he didn't question it. The longing was filled with nostalgia, meaning that, as he knew he had been a part of the Whitebeard Pirates in Luffy's last life, that Ace and Marco must have been close.

When dark eyes turned to regard him, Ace could just make out the quick intake of breath the Phoenix took. He couldn't help but hope that maybe Marco felt the longing too.

After Whitebeard and the other man approached Dragon, Marco approached him, held out his hand and introduced himself, his smooth voice washing over Ace. "I'm Marco, yoi. You are?"

Ace smiled and shook the hand held out to him. "I'm Ace. Portgas D. Ace."

* * *

Luffy watched as Ace and Marco interacted. He knew the two had been very close in his last life, thought he wasn't entirely sure as to the extent of their relationship. He thought they might have been lovers or close to becoming such and, if they had been, Luffy would have been very happy for his brother. Marco was a good guy, extremely loyal to his family and friends. He would do anything to protect those precious to him. So, yes, Luffy approved of Marco.

Tuning out the conversation between his eldest brother and Marco, Luffy started to pay attention to what his father and Whitebeard were taking about when he heard his name.

"Luffy," Dragon called.

"Yes, Dad?"

"Are you and Zoro willing to share your knowledge with Whitebeard and his two sons?"

Nodding, Luffy responded. "Yup. Let's go somewhere we won't be overheard."

And with that, the eight men made their way to one of the many meeting rooms in the base. Once everyone was seated, Luffy began to speak.

"This might be hard to believe but know that everything I'm about to tell you is, to the best of my knowledge, completely true. It all started when..."

* * *

The silence in the meeting room was deafening. No one moved as the Whitebeards processed everything they had just been told. After several long minutes of tense quiet, Whitebeard cleared his throat and looked straight at Luffy.

"Give me one reason I should believe anything you've said."

Luffy slowly took Hat off his head and held it in his hands. "You recognize this hat, yes?" Receiving a shocked nod in return, Luffy continued. "I swear on my dream to be Pirate King, freest man on the seas, and on this hat, once belonging to Gol D. Roger, who passed it to Akagami no Shanks, who passed it to me, that everything I've told you in this room is true."

Feeling the conviction and certainty in the boy's Voice, Whitebeard let out a quiet sigh and nodded. "Alright, I believe you. What now?"

Luffy looked around the room, everyone waiting for him to speak. "Now? We plan."

* * *

They were on Dawn Island, five long years after they first left. Dragon had accompanied them to see them off on their journey, helping them to stock up the small boat they would use before they got Merry.

Luffy was walking with Zoro and his family through the woods towards the old treehouse so they could show it to Zoro. He was in the middle of laughing at a joke Sabo had just told when he stopped in his tracks. His eyes went wide, and he raced ahead of the others going further into the woods. The four left behind exchanged glances and shrugged then ran after Luffy.

When they finally caught up to him, they noticed a figure standing several feet away from a shocked Luffy. When Zoro caught sight of the figure, he inhaled sharply. That was—

"Torao?"


End file.
